Grilled Steak Salad with Roasted Beets

One way we continue to keep both warm and healthy in the late autumn/early winter months is by serving up hot salads. It's not the lettuce that's hot (obviously) — it's the toppings. One of my favorites combines fresh-off-the-grill, peppered, juicy steak with earthy, oven-roasted beets.

As with roasted broccoli, I could honestly eat an entire pan of sweet, roasted beets. When they're seasoned with thyme, salt, and pepper, I just find them irresistible! They're satisfying but light and the perfect addition to a fall salad.

So the beets are great, but what about the meat? A thin strip steak works best for salads in my opinion; it doesn't require a lot of fussing to make it taste great. We seasoned it here with only Kosher salt and ground peppercorns before firing it up on the grill.

What are some of your healthy winter food favorites?Steak Salad with Roasted Beets

4 cups lettuce of choice

1 can of cut beets

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, minced

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil to taste, for dressing

1/2 avocado, diced

Crumbled goat cheese

Cherry tomatoes

2 boneless strip steaks, grilled

Lawry's Seasoned Salt and ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Open the can of beets; in a medium bowl, toss to combine with olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper.

2. Place the beets on a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil. Roast for 35 to 45 minutes, turning once or twice with a spatula, until the beets are tender. Remove from pan and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

3. In a large bowl, toss beets with lettuce of choice (spinach, green mix, arugula) and cherry tomatoes. Season to taste with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add Lawry's Seasoned Salt and ground black pepper to taste, if desired.

4. Plate the salad and top with sliced avocado, crumbled goat cheese and grilled steak.